So High School
by magicmumu
Summary: HG finally gets the courage to speak to her crush Myka Bering in Univille High's library. (High School AU for Bering and Wells AU Week)


"Okay, so now that we have a Lowe's stop in the schedual for the competition materials, we need to go to your house after school to get your notes from last year and then sit your butt down to tutor me in AP History. Finally. I don't want to be under Mr. Mcrump's eye again."

Helena Wells laughed at Claudia's nickname for Mr. McPherson. She had a love hate relationship with the teacher. She learned a lot from him in her high school career, but she wished that he wasn't so concerned with what Mr. Neilson, Claudia's favorite teacher, was doing. "Don't stress, Darling. We will get to them."

"Where are we going, then?" Claudia asked as she leaned against the locker next to Helena's. The raven haired senior was buisy getting her books in her backpack and didn't see the roll of Claudia's eyes at the pause.

"I need to go to the library for some books to get started on my senior paper. I also need to find a book to help me practice schalarship essays," Helena said.

"None of which you need," Steve, who just broke away from the baseball team and joined Claudia, said. "Methinks you just want to go see if Myka is there today."

"She knows Myka is there today. I keep telling you, you're friends with Pete now, so you've got an in. Why not use it?"

"Isn't it a bit tacky to use the best friend of your crush to get close to her?"

"I became friends with Steve to get to Todd," Claudia said with a shrug.

"Ow," Steve said.

"And since it didn't work out because he moved away and what-not, I got a great friend in the end," Claudia added in quickly. Steve scrunched his nose at her, but said nothing else. "We need to get those notes," Claudia whined a beat later. "I can't fail another test."

"And we will."

"Seriously," Claudia said again. "The only reason Josh even let me be on the Robotics Tech team is because YOU promised that YOU would tutor me in AP English and AP History, something that YOU have yet to do!"

"Come now, Claudia-"

"No, I have study this weekend. You go flirt with the book nerd because I know you want to, but I can't help you with the 'bot until I get my grade up, okay?" Claudia turned and began to walk away.

"Claudia Darling, meet me at The Warehouse at 7. We'll get some coffee and go over my notes after my shift."

"I will never understand how you are able to do it all. I mean, you're on honor roll, advanced classes, the gay straight alliance, a part time job at a coffee house, you maintain that- uh martial arts club you started, are in Robotics Team- which you also started..." Steve gave Helena a strange look. "You must have a clone somewhere."

"No Darling, just excellent time management skills and the need to stay as far away from my family as possible," Helena said absently, "and the martial art you were looking for is Kenpo." The raven haired teen shut her locker door and looked to Claudia. "Okay?"

"Yeah okay," Claudia said. She put up the 'Live Long and Prosper' sign to her and departed.

"Bye," Steve said to Helena before he followed after the fourteen year old.

Helena gave a small wave before she gathered her books and went to her second favorite place in Univille High: the library. Helena opened the door slowly and watched as the librarian, Miss Kelly spoke to Myka, while Pete sat off to the side watching them with the same look Helena got while watching the brunette.

Myka looked up when Helena approached the card catalogue, preferring this method to the new computerized method. "Is there anyhting I can help you with?"

"Er- No, but... thanks." Helena managed out. At least, she hoped the squeak wasn't noticable.

"Just let me know," Myka said, and then she turned back to Miss Kelly. Pete said something and Helena could hear a hiss in return. Helena looked through the catalog and got the book she was looking for. Jules Vern's Mysterious Island. It was her favorite, and she knew that she would have a few hours of free time that weekend since Claudia and Steve were going to the away game. She realy should get the book for herself. It wasn't like she didn't have the money to spend on it, but why do such a thing when she had an ID card that would grant her a reason to speak to Myka Bering (or at least try to)? Helena browsed the isles for more books, even though she didn't plan to check anything else out. She had lied to the teen genious about needing a book, which Claudia saw through. Helena was interested to see what new books the library had. She smiled at the small LGBTQ section with books that she herself had suggested the year before, and placed a finger lovingly along the spines. She peeked around the shelves she was sandwiched between and looked at Myka with a somewhat frustrated sigh.

Helena Wells had a crush on Myka Bering since she had arrived at Univille High two years ago. Helena was in the middle of her sophmore year, and Myka was a freshman. The raven haired woman was always watching the interraction between her and Pete, who Myka dated for most of that year, and then her sister, who entered the high school the next year. Helena suspected this was where Myka's problems began. Helena got the feeling that Myka wasn't on good terms with her popular sister. Myka wasn't what anyone would call a beauty, but Helena saw the swan that was sure to emerge. Helena knew for a fact the brains this girl had in her head, as she was constantly competing with her for grades in some of their shared classes. She found herself not feeling bad if she lost to Myka. When Myka had joined the debate team, where Helena had been the captain atthe time, she knew that her habit of observing the girl was more than because she was a competitor and fellow honor student. She had to go up against Myka in practice, and she couldn't open her mouth. She quit that day, and watched as under Myka's guidence, the team won many competitions since.

"I wanted to ask you a question," Helena heard beside her, which made her jump. She turned to see Myka's green eyes looking at her somewhat curiously.

"I- yes. What do you need, D-Darling?"

"Would you be willing to help me with my argument? We're going state in two weeks, and I... I'm stumped."

"How?"

"Uh, I am not sure I understand. How am I stumped?"

Helena nodded. "Yeah." She wanted to shake herself. Where was the well spoken, well mannered girl she always was?

"Well, I am looking for a way to present an opposing debate on a subject I am not too sure about."

"Well..." Helena closed her eyes and pretended that this was Claudia she was talking to instead of Myka. It didn't help, as she could smell the younger teen's soap. "As usual, research. Pretend you are arguing with yourself. What is the opposing debate first, and what would make you see their side. Then, once you've agreed with... well, yourself, remember why you are fighting for your own side."

Myka seeme to think about this and she smiled. "I never understood why you quit. You are still really good at, you know, coaching."

"Thank you," Helena said. "I'm quite certain the team is doing just fine without me." She looked towards the bookshelves when she couldn't fight the blush on her face when Myka smiled at her.

"Why DID you quit the debate team? I... I hope it wasn't because of me, because I was there."

"I-" Helena felt her throat tightening at the slight hurt she heard in Myka's voice. It hadn't occured to her before now that Myka would have cared that she wasn't the captain anymore, or that she'd think that Helena may have left because of her. Well, she had, but not in the way that Myka may have thought. "That day we were paired up was the first and time I-I ever froze. I can't..." Helena fought the next words, all of which she wanted to say but unsure how to say it. She was better than this, she knew, but nothing seemed to want to leave her tounge without a fight. Finally, she said, "What good is a debate captain who had been rendered speechless?"

Myka was silent for a moment as well. She had been patient in allowing Helena the time she needed to say what she needed to say, and when she figured that nothing else was forth coming, she said,"I just... I thought somehow that with the two of us on the same team, we would have been unstoppable. I know you haven't completely lost your words. I have heard you at The Warehouse's open mic night. You're a great writer."

This made Helena look up at Myka quickly. "You-" Had Helena known Myka was ever at any of the open mic nights at the coffee shop, she would never have gotten through any of her short story readings.

"I really love the story 'A Woman In Bronze' the most. The thought that someone could be encased like that with only her thoughts for company for so many years..." Myka seemed to visibly shiver. Helena smiled warmly. She favored that story above all else, especially since it had come from a strange dream she had a couple of months ago that even to that day she couldn't shake.

"It's my favorite too," she said softly. There was a small smile that passed between them, and Helena's cheeks reddened again.

Miss Kelly was giving Myka a look, which she replied to by signalling for another moment. She turned back to Helena. "When is the next open mic night?"

"Next week. Tuesday," Helena replied.

"Save me a seat?" she asked.

"Er- Yeah, of course."

"I'll see you then, but uh... debate practices are still on Fridays and Wednesdays, so... Don't be a stranger."

"O-Okay."

"I should go. Let me know if you need help finding anything."

"Thank you," Helena said. She watched as Myka went back to the counter where she continued to check in books while Miss Kelly told someone on the computers to get off of Facebook or allow someone who really needed the computer to use it. Helena put Jules Vern back on the shelf, figuring it would be too awkward to go check it out now. She left the library thinking about what short story she would write for the next open mic night.

The End


End file.
